Venerus Fathers
The Venerus Fathers are a small understrength Adeptus Astartes Chapter that numbers around 300-400 strong with only 10 Dreadnoughts. The chapter was founded around the 40th Millennium, created during an Unknown Founding, but the exact date is also not known. The Venerus Fathers used to be strong, numbering the authorised 1,000 battle-brothers, but after many battles and unfortunate events their numbers decreased, and with it, their strength. Despite their misfortunes the Venerus Fathers continue to valiantly take the fight to the myriad of foes of Mankind, determined to decide their fate on their own terms. Chapter History The exact origins of the Venerus Fathers is unknown. Extant Imperial records indicate that this Chapter was created sometime during the 40th Millennium during an unstated Founding. It was a tumultuous period, as darkness and dissolution had descended across the width and breadth of the galaxy. The newly created chapter was assigned to the Imperial world of Venerus, where they took their namesake, becoming the guardians over this world and the surrounding system. Located in the Segmentum Obscurus, this system was subjected to constant raids upon the various Imperial worlds and space lanes by Heretic Astartes warbands that vomited forth from the hellish realm known as the Eye of Terror. Only a few decades after their creation, the Venerus Fathers were subjected to a large incursion by the Forces of Chaos that invaded their home system. During the beginning of this conflict, the chapter was doing well fighting the Chaos Space Marines, but soon things took a turn for the worst, and they were met by a chain of bad luck. Their first Chapter Master would be defeated and killed by a powerful Chaos Lord and his replacement was not suitable to lead as Chapter Master. They Venerus Fathers were still a young and relatively inexperienced Chapter and many of their battle-brothers were not battle-hardened and experienced. Over time, due to bad leadership, sudden unexpected events such as xenos incursions and sector-wide insurrection as well as the betrayal of veteran battle-brothers, the Chapter would quickly fall from grace. By the 41st Millennium, the Venerus Fathers had become a broken and demoralised Chapter, but fortunately, a spark of hope ignited in the form of a new Chapter Master by the name of Andre Molotov, who brought hope and pride back to the chapter. Notable Members * Chapter Master Andre Molotov ' * '''Techmarine Bulsov Machenkov ' * '''Veneris Father's Chaplain Vili "Stalin" Chisnov Notable Campaigns * The Defence of Venerus * The Eldar Invasion * The Battle for Survival * Betrayal of Markov Chapter Homeworld The Venerus Fathers' Chapter homeworld is the Imperial world of Venerus, which is also used as the Chapter's primary recruitment world. The planet is a hive world covered in snow and ice. The recruitment of a battle-brother is simple. A Venerus man who has managed to have children can join but he has to successfully hide in the snowy planet for a full day and not be found. If he is successfull then he becomes a Neophyte and his training begins. Chapter Combat Doctrine Due to their Chapter's smaller size, the Venerus Fathers have come to rely upon adaptability and diversity. Flexibility and willingness to adapt to their situation has become their Chapter's core of their combat doctrine. Often operating deep behind enemy lines, the Venerus Fathers utilise concealment, secrecy, espionage and counter-intelligence. Employing these techniques throughout its battles, they prefer to employ what few assets they possess, along with their assault units, in precision strikes to overwhelm an enemy at strategically crucial junctures in battle after determining the most effective pressure point at which to break their foes. For the Venerus Fathers, the only important standard is success. Victory is all that matters, for though honour and glory are noble notions, a clear victory is far more worthwhile. For without victory, there is no survival. The second core strategy utilised by the Chapter is guerrilla warfare. By utilising hit-and-run tactics, the Venerus Fathers favour ambushes to deplete forces prior to a more traditional engagement. Refining their techniques has enhanced their abilities to the point that small groups of battle-brothers are often able to decimate enemy forces through precision surgical strikes, minimising the enemy forces present in future conflicts. Placing high value on adaptability and independent though, each Venerus Fathers' company can operate on a largely independent basis. Only in the most dire of circumstances will multiple companies come together to cooperate. Chapter Gene-Seed The gene-seed for the Venerus Fathers is unknown. Uniquely, upon examination by the Magos Biologis, they have found that their gene-seed contains no identifiable genetic markers. But despite their mysterious origins of their lineage, all nineteen organs of the Chapter operates at peak efficiency. Chapter Beliefs The Venerus Fathers believe that the Emperor is punishing them for some perceived sin their Chapter did long ago. They think that the current series of unfortunate events that has plagued their Chapter in recent decades, is their punishment. Due to the astute leadership of their current Chapter Master - thanks in no small part to his keen foresight and tactical genius - this has helped guarantee the survival of the Venerus Fathers. Many of the Chapter's remaining battle-brothers have come to see Molotov as a chosen prophet of the Emperor, and would willingly follow him unto the gates of hell, if he so wished. Chapter Organisation Once strong adherents to the statutes of the Codex Astartes, the structure and organisation the Venerus Fathers now follow are a relatively textbook approach to Chapter organisation. Decimated by centuries of war and other unfortunate events, the Venerus Fathers have been reduced to less than half of its former strength. With so few Battle-Brothers at his command, Andre Molotov has been forced to restructure the Chapter as best he can so that it can maintain its military commitments throughout the Imperium. With all of his companies under-strength, and few Captains to command them, Molotov will often divide his 1st Company Veterans to bolster each company's fighting strength. These Veterans form a solid core of leadership around which the diminished companies can be forged into more effective fighting formations. These mixed demi-companies form mobile strike forces that can deploy in scores of war zones throughout the Imperium, having replaced the standard Codex Astartes organisation. These individual demi-companies are all but autonomous in their own right in the field and are largely exempt from the reliance on direct commands from the senior leadership of the Chapter. They are expected to deal with myriad challenges on their own if needs be, and have displayed a propensity for being extremely proficient in the performance of extended unsupported operations within hostile domains. Though each company can, and does, often fight as a separate unit, a Venerus Fathers strike force will often be composed of several squads from different companies, assembled in an ad hoc basis according to the mission at hand. Companies 1st Company 200 space marines strong 1st Company is the strongest having the most Veteran battle-brothers and the only company with Terminators. 2nd Company 100 space marine strong the 2nd Company has the most assaults and melee specialists. 3rd Company Having all the recruits it numbers under 100 and is specialized in long rage combat offering support for 1st and 2nd Company. Chapter Fleet *''Ice Cold'' (Battle Barge) *''Northern Light'' (Strike Cruiser) Chapter Appearance Chapter Colours The Venerus Fathers primarily wear light purple coloured power armour with the exception their armourials and arms being bronze in colouration. Helmets are black in colour with the exception of the Chapter's Techmarines. A white coloured, open-faces squad specialty symbol on the right armorial (Tactical, Devastator, Assault and Veteran) indicates a battle-brother's assigned battlefield role. Due to the shortage of available Astartes, sometimes these roles become interchangeable, and therefore, these markings do no always accurately reflect their roles. It is unknown how they designate squad or company assignment. Chapter Badge The Venerus Fathers' Chapter badge is a strange, esoteric light purple symbols of unknown meaning, centered upon a field of bronze. A pair of crossed swords, their blades pointing upwards, is centered upon this runic symbol. Notable Quotes Feel free to add your own By the Venerus Fathers Feel free to add your own About the Venerus Fathers Gallery File:VostroyanChapter Master.png|Chapter Master Andre Molotov, Lord of the Venerus Fathers Chapter. File:VostroyanTech.png|Techmarine Bulsov Machenkov File:Screeeeeeem.png|Veneris Father's Chaplain, Vili "Stalin" Chisnov Category:Imperium Category:Space Marine Chapters Category:Space Marines Category:Unknown Founding Category:Unknown Geneseed